Corbels Guide

Corbels have been cropping up in designer magazines for the last couple years as a popular decorating tool. But if you asked a most home owners what decorative corbels are, chances are they wouldn’t have a clue.

A corbel is a bracket supporting or giving the appearance of supporting a heavy load above. In effect a corbel can either be decorative or structural.

As architectural styles have developed through time, the level of decoration on a corbel has changed accordingly. In medieval times corbels often appeared in the shape of humans or mythical beasts. Gargoyles seen at Notre Dame are examples of decorative corbels rather than having a structural purpose. Some were cast as biblical figures to illustrate tales to the congregation that was unable to read.

Just as the styles changed with the period so did the materials corbels were made of. While stone was the traditional original material other wood became a popular second choice material. This was particularly so when used with carved furniture and interior decoration. Wooden corbels are today often found in kitchens on cabinetry to hold up wooden or marble kitchen tops, or commonly in libraries in luxury homes.

There was a particular resurgence is the use of corbels in the Victorian period. This was the time when bespoke craftsmanship was replaced by mass machine manufacturing. House shapes started to become individual and decoration both indoor and outdoor became much more elaborate. Cherubic corbels were a common decoration in this time.

A decorative corbel is a useful decorating tool. Its flexibility means you can easily add a point of interest to an area such as your existing mantelpiece or piece of furniture. Their size can range from a few inches to a few feet. The only limitation is the place you want to place them.

In their modern incarnation the structural corbel is used on a smaller scale commonly being built into mantel shelves around fireplaces or around door entrances. In some cases they are used on their own as a display shelf for decorative objects, in the manner of a shelf unit.

A sensible way of adding some authentic touches when restoring a character home is install a salvaged or reconditioned corbel. Anywhere you could put a standard bracket you can choose to put a corbel for decorative purposes.

While you might not have been aware of the history of the decorative corbels, their history is long and varied. The uses to which you can put them in decorating your home can be just a long and varied.